The Fallbrook Community Planning Group (FCPG) and Fallbrook Circulation Committee have reviewed Fallbrook’s roads, and have prioritized road construction and maintenance for the county. The circulation committee meets every two to four years to let the county’s Department of Public Works (DPW) know what road reconstruction, community developments, intersection improvements, and asphalt overlays are most needed in the community.

Anne Burdick, circulation committee chair, stated that the county looks at the list, and allocates certain funds for various projects according to their placement on the DPW’s waiting list for capital improvement.

“There’s a very limited pot of money for major road projects,” she said. “There are 26 planning groups [with similar lists]. We are in line with everyone else.”

Burdick stated the committee was much more extensive than years past.

“We put down all projects that really needed to be on the county’s radar,” said Burdick. “The county categorizes each project, and we prioritized projects in each of those categories. We have 19 in all, not including the Live Oak Park and airport projects, which are funded outside the capital improvement program.”

The FCPG will finalize the list and present it to the county for review. Areas for reconstruction mentioned include Rocky Crest Road, Pepper Tree Lane, and Knottwood Way; community development suggestions included sidewalks for Ammunition Road, Elder Street, and Clemmens Lane; traffic signals were recommended for intersections at Mission Road and Santa Margarita, as well as South Mission Road and Pepper Tree Lane; intersection improvements were suggested for the Mission Road and Ranger Road intersection, the East Mission and Yucca intersection, the Old 395, East Mission and I-15 intersection, the Reche Road and Live Oak Elementary School intersection.

“Everyone in the impacted areas know the issues are pretty serious,” said Burdick. “Pendleton traffic issues at peak traffic hour are a really huge issue as well, and it’s on everyone’s radar. That takes so much coordination between the county and state. The county has worked extensively to make major improvements, but with the major changes that come with the McDonalds construction, it will influence the whole South Mission Road and Ammunition intersection. We may have to revisit this plan.”

Some of the areas that have been removed from the reconstruction list include the Fallbrook Street extension. Burdick stated that under that plan Fallbrook Street would have gone around St. Peters church and intersected Reche Road across from Potter Jr. High School.

“All of the residents in that area are very vocal,” she said. “We have met with them repeatedly, and after new traffic studies, the DPW representative stated the expansions don’t need to happen for at least 20 years. We would have to verify that the extension is going to solve what we think it will solve.”

Burdick stated that some areas will receive a concrete overlay, which will provide better access to the residents in Fallbrook.

“It will make the roads smoother, which will then help improve traffic, which normally slows down to dodge potholes.”

Other areas that are high on the priority for the FCPG include extensions on Knottwood Way, and throughways in the Sycamore Ranch development.

“Traffic in Sycamore Ranch will have multiple ways to get out besides Gird Road and State Route 76,” said Burdick. “One of our primary goals is to have more outlets to bring traffic east and west besides East Mission and SR76. Reche Road to Fallbrook Street is a partial east-west circuit, but it needs a lot of improvements before it can handle the overflow.”

It has been apparent to the FCPG that having one of the main east-west circuits down can cause severe traffic coming and going from downtown Fallbrook.

“When the 76 closes, as it did for the recent fires, it becomes a nightmare to get into Fallbrook. That means you have to go through East Mission, which impacted everyone trying to get in and out of Fallbrook,” she said. “We need a third circuit.”

However, the circulation committee doesn’t necessarily want to widen East Mission to four lanes until intersections have been improved first. Former chair of circulation, Harry Christiansen, had indicated that traffic can move more freely when intersections are improved.

“We saw that happen at intersections impacted by Camp Pendleton traffic,” said Burdick. “We also saw improvement when we widened the intersection on SR76 and Olive Hill. Traffic used to back up all the way to South Mission, but when the intersection was made into five lanes, there was a huge improvement.”

Burdick stated those minor improvements might lessen the need for additional lanes on major roads, as traffic will be more easily maintained. In addition, less property would be required from neighboring plots.

“Widening to four lanes would impact a lot of home owners along major routes,” she explained. “They might not all happen; it depends on how Fallbrook grows.”

Motorists make their way through a curve in the road at the intersection of East Mission Rd. and Santa Margarita Dr., a location Fallbrook planners have requested a traffic signal for.

Having another intersection at East Mission Road and Santa Margarita Dr. will just create more traffic delays during peak hours. Not to mention probably more accidents from speeding motorist trying to beat the red light. Why not improve the road from De Luz to Temecula and let the military use that route as another option to lessen traffic congestion. Also East Mission needs sidewalks for the children and parents that walk their kids to William Frazier Elementary. I’m surprised no one has been killed on that road the way most drivers and motorcycles speed on that road in the morning and afternoon.

Sidewalks are needed to reduce the likelihood of pedestrian injuries or death. However, Clemmens Lane is not the only area of uncommon danger. A pedestrian death has occurred on Stage Coach Lane north of the High School where the pedestrian traffic is much higher in density and volume and disrespect/ignorance of the law much more apparent.

If they were really concerned about traffic problems, the FCPG would stop rubber stamping every development that comes before it. More importantly we need a County Supervisor who isn’t in the back pocket of developers.

I agree with Joker that adding a light could create delays (or funnel traffic into other areas, like main street, Fallbrook st, stagecoach, reche, etc). I wish de luz was a better option.Seems like traffic on Mission needs to be able to move while Main Street needs traffic calming and other pedestrian measures. Also seems like the best way to reduce the massive amount Pendleton to Temecula traffic is to make it more appealing to live in Fallbrook.

All bicycle/pedestrian would be so nice! Even just a couple blocks of Main Street, like north of Fallbrook Equipment Rental to one block north of Alvarado (forget that street name). Closing a section to car traffic would be lovely. And regarding sidewalks on Elder, I look forward to the day when we finally have sidewalks on Fig and Alvarado to link Main Street to the Library.

🙁 I really hope they don’t widen east mission. It’s like the plan is to systematically dismantle the town until it looks just like the suburban wastelands surrounding us. Surely there is a better idea than gutting Fallbrook to better flush traffic to the 15.

I totally agree with #1 sidewalks to Frazier Elem. would greatly benefit the parents of children that walk to school, so many mornings I see these little kids trying to navigate that curve on Alvarado and E. Mission trying to dodge the cars. People going way too fast on Alvarado is also a great concern!
I also think it is a great idea to make Main Ave. pedestrian/bicycle only! Have thought so for years!

There is! I once again propose that once the expansion of the 76 is complete that ALL non-Fallbrook, non-De Luz and non-Rainbow Camp Pendleton personnel use the 76 and enter Camp Pendleton from the south gate in Oceanside ONLY. This will GREATLY reduce Fallbrook’s traffic making our roads safer, reduce noise and dust pollution, and maintain our cherished rural lifestyle!

I propose that all non-Oceanside personnel use the 76 and enter Camp Pendleton from the Naval Weapons Station-Ammunition Gate ONLY! This will GREATLY reduce Oceanside’s traffic making our roads safer, reduce noise and dust pollution, and maintain our cherished seaside lifestyle.

So how about that Lee? Or better yet I suggest after reading Lee’s comments here over the last 3 years that we jettison him to Mars pronto! Now there’s a proposal that EVERYONE no matter where they live can support!

I think regarding closing the gate, it’s too late to close that barn door. And there is something distasteful (and all too widespread) about the sentiment, "Thanks for defending the country. Now would you mind living somewhere else?" To me, what’s worth exploring is why SO much of that gate traffic comes from beyond Fallbrook. Think about: these are folks that work insanely long days and weeks and are apart from their families more often than not, but they’d rather triple their commute than live here. Is it the schools? Parks? Did Temecula crush Fallbrook at providing affordable housing? I doubt it’s that Temecula typically runs 10 degrees hotter that’s drawing people. I wouldn’t even imagine it’s the access to retail (not when Amazon and UPS will deliver anything to your door). It’s worth a pause and reflect. Preferably before Mission Rd becomes the Mission Beltway.

Nice to know that there are some sensitive and intelligent people left in this town.

@ #18 Grunt

A very simple solution. Pendleton puts out the word that ALL non-Fallbrook, non-De Luz and non-Rainbow Pendleton personnel CAN NO longer use the Ammunition gate from a certain date and they check driver’s licenses from that date. If somebody fails the test, so to speak, i.e., is from outside of the greater Fallbrook area and tries to use the Ammunition gate, he/she/they will be turned back.

Most of their driver’s licenses won’t even be from California much less show a Fallbrook address. You could check utility bills, if they don’t pay them online, but checking paperwork is hardly going to move traffic along.

@LEE – most of the Marines have out of state license. So your idea is about as useful as you are. Yes, some of "we the people" are very stupid. And lee- you claimed all the construction was for the benefit of the Marines -yet I showed you where it was not – so like everything else, you ignore it vice enter a debate. Chanting the same phrase, which you do not understand, is not debating. I like #16 – lets close all the gates to make Oceanside traffic less! Why not Lee? Lee, I think you are terrified of Marines- relax, the female Marines will not hurt you – just don’t hit on them – they prefer MEN.

Getting back to the topic of the article, I’d love to see a right green turn arrow for folks turning onto Stagecoach from Reche. And there’s a sign on Stewart Canyon Road (where you turn onto it from the 395) that says No Outlet that needs to come down now that the road is finished. In an evacuation, it sure would be helpful to know that the road *actually* leads to the 76 and the 15.

Three things: Ammunition at Mission – the East-bound straight lane (not the two left turn lanes) needs the light adjusted – sometimes I can sit through two west-bound lights before I get a green; next item – Ammunition and Main – south bound traffic that sits in the straight lane, then turns and people not using the turn signal. Third – and it is not new, people jay-walking. I have had, in the last week, one lady pushing her baby stroller into traffic in front of vehicles and one man walk in front of me, both times, cars had to emergency stop to avoid killing or maiming someone.